03.04.2017
KNX as panel discussion member at HTNG Insight conference in Amsterdam

On 28 March, KNX was invited to participate in a panel discussion on the topic of security at the HTNG Insight conference. As their web site indicates, Hotel Technology Next Generation is "a global not-for-profit trade association that fosters, through collaboration and partnership among hoteliers and technology providers, the development of next-generation solutions that will enable them to do business globally in the 21st century".

In this respect, HTNG and its working groups also discuss such topics as the use of building automation and more specifically security risks related to the use of it.

Mr. Demarest as CTO of KNX Association put forward the following arguments in his contribution to the panel:

KNX can already be implemented in a secure way when taking into account the aspects that are listed in the KNX Security checklist

For hotel environments, solutions based on classic KNX products can be contemplated that isolate every hotel room by the use of a KNX IP tunneling server connected to an appropriate BMS, securely managing messages that come from the different rooms to the management system

With the imminent launch of the first certified KNX Secure products, even at room level end-to-end security can be ensured and security key management properly documented in the manufacturer and application independent KNX design and configuration tool, ETS.

With KNX Secure, Firmware upgrade becomes a requirement for KNX certified devices as well as the implementation of Security Logging functionality: in this way, not only can security mistakes be corrected, it also becomes possible to monitor whether or not installations have been the subject of hacking;

Last but not least, KNX Secure will become part of the standardized KNX basic course, in order to familiarize all KNX integrators with the topic of security.